1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to receiving apparatuses and receiving methods, and more particularly to an apparatus capable of receiving television broadcasts and streaming broadcasts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, due to improvements in network technology such as asymmetric digital subscriber lines (ADSL), high-speed internet-access services, that is, broadband, are rapidly becoming commonplace. Broadband technology allows sufficient transfer rate for video signals of an image quality suitable for television broadcasting or for video tape recorders (VTRs) that were previously difficult to transfer in real time.
Streaming broadcasting is one of the services utilizing such broadband technology. Streaming refers to technologies for sequentially playing image and voice data in a server while downloading them via a network. The use of streaming technology allows moving image data with a large file size to be played without waiting for them to download. Also, streaming technology enables real-time distribution of moving images captured by a user. Using streaming technology in a broadband environment allows users to enjoy high-quality content through a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC).
As broadband becomes commonplace, users search for content that suits their tastes from among a vast amount of content available on the Internet and enjoy streaming broadcasts. Currently, such content searching is generally performed by using a search engine or a portal site for streaming broadcasting.
At present, streaming content is available in various formats. There are standard formats such as MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3) and WAV. Also, there are independent formats for respective decoders typified by Windows (R) Media Player, RealVideo, and QuickTime, and such formats may depend on the decoder version. Moreover, there are various other decoders and corresponding formats, such as HotMedia, FreeVOD, and SoftwareVision. The users, where necessary, download such decoders or upgrade the version of such decoders, and in some cases, the users must perform an operation such as resetting various functions or restarting the PC. A system for receiving streaming content of this type is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-359073.
There are now demands for static images or the like obtained via the Internet or electronic mail or by a digital still camera to be viewed on a television screen in much the same way as television broadcasts are viewed. In light of the above background, the present inventor(s) came up with an idea of incorporating streaming broadcasting as a function of a television receiver. Accordingly, even users who are not good at operating PCs can enjoy streaming broadcasts through a television receiver.
However, in a case where television receivers are provided with such a function to receive streaming broadcasts, there is a possible problem of switching between media. In order to switch from television broadcasting to the Internet or from the Internet to static image display, there may be a procedure, such as operating keys on a remote control or tracking the hierarchical structure via a menu. If such operations are applied to a case where streaming broadcasts are viewed through a television receiver, the users must perform such troublesome operations every time the users switch between television broadcasting and streaming broadcasting. There may be needs of users to select and browse a program without being aware of the difference in media, such as television broadcasting and streaming broadcasting.
As described above, streaming broadcast content is widely available on the Internet.
At present, the user uses a portal site or a search engine as means for searching for content that suits the user's taste from among the available content.
When using such search means, however, the user must spend a very long time for searching. Moreover, the search results may not meet the user's needs. Furthermore, content found by searching may be in a format unsuitable for the users decoder. In this case, the user cannot view the content.
For television broadcasting, even with the increased number of programs due to digitalization, service information (SI) or the like included in television broadcast data provides a selection environment such as an electronic program guide (EPG). The use of the EPG allows desired content to be selected relatively easily from among a lot of content. Also, by an additional function such as category searching, many EPGs assist the users to perform a selection operation.
In contrast, streaming broadcasting is not provided with information such as SI. Thus, in streaming broadcasting, content cannot be selected using an EPG as in the television broadcasting.
Moreover, there is a problem in that various formats are used for receiving streaming broadcasts. Users who are inexperienced in operating the apparatus may be troubled by complicated downloading and various setting operations.
A function to view streaming broadcasts and a user interface are unnecessary for users who cannot view streaming broadcasts due to the absence of an environment for viewing streaming broadcasts and for users who do not desire to view streaming broadcasts even with the presence of an environment for viewing streaming broadcasts. Moreover, such function and user interface may cause confusion.